1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to practice devices for use by golfers and, more particularly, to a golf club practice apparatus that may be attached to a conventional golf club in order to permit a golfer to make practice swings with the golf club.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the traditional stick and ball game of golf, it is desirable to accurately and consistently hit a ball toward an intended target and to get the ball to the target in the fewest number of shots possible. In order to obtain this goal many golfers seek to achieve the maximum distance possible with any given club in a standard set in order to reduce the number of shots necessary to reach the target.
An obvious means for achieving increased distance of any given golf shot is to increase the golfers ability to swing a golf club with the maximum possible club head velocity. It is known that club head velocity determines the distance a ball will travel along any given trajectory after being struck by the club.
In order to obtain increased club head velocity, a golfer must first develop the proper technique for swinging the golf club. However, in addition to using proper technique, it would also be desirable to increase the strength of the golfer, and more ideally the strength of the specific muscles used by the golfer during swinging, in order to increase the golfers ability to swing the club in such a way as to maximize the club head speed. In addition, it would also be beneficial to provide means not only for strengthening the muscles used by a golfer during swinging, but also for loosening these muscles during warm-up.
One known device for use during warm-up designed for loosening the muscles used by a golfer during swinging includes a donut-shaped weight that may be telescopically received on the golf club in order to temporarily increase the weight of the golf club to provide resistance to the golfer's efforts to swing the club. However, because this known device adds a substantial amount of weight to the club, the "feel" of the club changes substantially causing the golfer to work muscles differently than they would normally be worked during actual play.
More specifically, the gravitational force of the weight operates against the lifting movement of the club made during a back swing, causing the golfer to work the muscles used to make the back swing. However, during the forward swing of the golf club the gravitational force of the weight operates in the same direction as the swinging movement, such that the golfer actually uses the necessary muscles less than would normally be required when the weight is removed from the golf club. Because of this characteristic of the known weight device, the muscles used during swinging are actually worked in a manner differently then they would be worked under playing conditions.